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  • Greece
    • Thessaloniki
Term
Academic Year, Fall, Short Term, Spring, Summer, Winter
Subject Areas
Business Classical Studies Conflict Studies Conservation and Preservation Cultural Studies Entrepreneurship European Studies Global Studies History Human Rights Humanities Peace Studies Political Science Public Relations Service Learning Social Sciences +6
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Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Degree Level
Bachelors
Housing
Apartment Host Family
Language
Greek

Pricing

Price Details
The fees, for this customizable program, can cover tuition, lodging, international airfare (restrictions apply), airport transfers, orientations, excursions, service-learning placement and oversight and emergency medical/evacuation insurance. Work with IPSL's program director to create a program that suits your interests, goals and budget.
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Airport Transfers Classes Some Meals Travel Insurance
What's Included (Extra)

The fees, for this customizable program, can cover tuition, lodging, international airfare, airport transfers, orientations, excursions, service-learning placement and oversight and emergency medical/evacuation insurance. Work with IPSL's program director to create a program that suits your budget.

What's Not Included
Airfare Some Meals SIM cards Visa Wifi
What's Not Included (Extra)

Passport; visa; vaccine fees; international airfare; additional meals not included in homestay or lodge; books; personal spending money; local personal transportation; local transportation to service site; local cell phone and independent travel.

Jul 22, 2024
May 18, 2019
Wish List
8 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Are you looking to explore the ancient and modern? Study and volunteer in Thessaloniki! There are so many choices (and reasons) to experience the IPSL Greece program. Learn about the Mediterranean diet & lifestyle or work with refugees and displaced persons, social activism, youth empowerment micro-enterprise and more. This program is a unique opportunity to get involved in hands-on learning in a part of the world that is at once ancient and modern, urban and rural.

"The opportunity I had to travel to Greece has only deepened my sense of curiosity about the world: a panoply of beautiful landscapes, architecture, languages, cuisines, and cultures all existing on the same planet floating in space together: get out and explore while you can! My sense as a global citizen has heightened, my sensitivity to cultural chauvinism sharpened, and my feelings of humanism enriched." IPSL alum Jake

Experience Greece like a local...not a tourist!

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Video and Photos

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Thessaloniki
girl making Greek food
man at Mount Olympus
greek villages
group of girls at a beach
Man Cat Greece
Ancient Greece Ruins Temples
Mediterranean diet Greece IPSL
Fun at Olympic Stadium
Enjoying Greek food
The Med Diet
Olympic Stadium
Aristotle Square
Taking a break from hiking Mt Olympus
Learning about Greek cuisine
Popular Mediterranean Diet & Lifestyle course

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Diversity & Inclusion

IPSL is in solidarity with all summoned to action by the senseless murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many other black brothers and sisters. IPSL wants to be of service to you and communities around the world to bring justice and healing and further advance the goals we all share. ​We believe in the power of service to unite and strengthen communities.
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IPSL admits and does not discriminate against students of any sex or sexual orientation. IPSL is proud to support social justice movements around the world through our Service, Scholarship, and Love. Then, as now, we are called to resist and speak out for what is right. LGBTQ+ Rights are Human Rights
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IPSL provides equal access to our programs for academically qualified students with physical, learning, or psychiatric disabilities.
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IPSL admits students of any disability and makes available all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students. It does not discriminate on the basis of disability in administration of its educational policies and programs, admission policies, merit scholarships or other organizations-administered programs.
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Impact

IPSL works to lessen its carbon footprint on our increasingly fragile planet. Since study abroad can only take place by boarding a plane, IPSL contributes to sustainable projects in several countries whose efforts help mitigate the harmful effects of pollution and waste that result from traveling. In one academic year, IPSL can contribute funding to environmental organizations to offset close to 600,000 air miles flown by our students, staff, and faculty. In concrete terms, we remit funds to help plant trees around the world; those trees then absorb some of the harmful effects that result from our decisions.
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Since 1981, IPSL has facilitated over 471,000 volunteer hours in our partner communities, supported the work of hundreds of nonprofits and NGOs around the world, vigorously (and unapologetically) promoted social-racial-economic justice through service-based programming, research and publishing, scholarships/funding, and on social media. Recently, our organization launched new initiatives that will sustain our service-based mission into the future. At home, we maintain the same mindful practices by supporting local organizations that support the most vulnerable people. Large and small, every decision we make is about giving back and making our world a better and more just place.
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IPSL specializes in volunteer-based study abroad programming. All programs are credit-bearing and will provide an official transcript upon completion of the program.

On average, 15 HOURS per week will be spent volunteering in addition to 6-21 semester credits worth of course work. Our programs are small cohorts of dedicated, service-minded students who that receive individualized attention from our staff.

Program Highlights

  • Experience Greece like a local...not a tourist! Students live with a Greek family which enriches and deepens the experience. Make life-long friends, gain better language proficieny and get to know the culture from "the inside"!
  • Volunteer Service that addresses real human needs! Volunteer with organizations that serve Refugees; support the homeless & at-risk youth; work with disadvantaged pre-school & primary school children; fight discrimination; and much more!
  • Explore community organizing and social activism (COSA) with the goal of learning how to effectively translate these ideas & techniques into a concrete knowledge of social activism.
  • IPSL is a Social Benefit Organization with over 83% of profits directly returned to the people, communities & NGOs they partner with abroad.
  • Take IPSL's 'Mediterranean Diet & Lifestyle' course and enjoy Greece's amazing cuisine (& wines)!

Program Reviews

4.67 Rating
based on 3 reviews
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  • 5 rating 66.67%
  • 4 rating 33.33%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Academics 4
  • Support 4.7
  • Fun 4.35
  • Housing 4.35
  • Safety 5
Showing 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Default avatar
Majo
27
Mexico
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

IPSL Semester Thessaloniki

May 18, 2019

This was the first time the program was run independently from any school and it was a bit disorganized.
My service site (the main reason I did this program) was an 2:30 hrs away from where I lived and getting there was pretty expensive. The program director gave me 100€ to pay for the transportation but it only covered one of the three months I was there. I found my own service in the city and volunteered there as well. The program was only two students and this made socializing hard. Overall, it was a good experience but there was still some things that need to be taken care of if they want to have a very successful program. My host family was great, the food was always excellent and Thessaloniki is a fun city to live in. I wish I had spoken Greek and had more Greek classes.

What would you improve about this program?
There needs to be more organization with the program, especially academically.
140 people found this review helpful.
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Default avatar
Jayne
28
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A hands-on, interactive cultural experience

Jun 25, 2018

During my time in Thessaloniki, Greece, I had the opportunity to learn about and experience Greek culture through a variety of hands-on opportunities. I had the privilege to volunteer with refugees in Thessaloniki, go on many guided tours of the city, experience a wine and olive oil tasting, and go on a few excursions to nearby towns - including a day hike on Mount Olympus. I really feel as though I had a well rounded experience during my time in Greece, and would love to do it all again. IPSL did a great job facilitating my experience not only in Greece, but also my experiences in Spain and Italy, which were also included in my program.

What would you improve about this program?
This program could be improved by having more immersion activities. The immersion activities that I experienced during my program were great, however I wish there were more opportunities for this kind of experience. Although I felt like I learned a lot about Greek culture, I would have loved to go out in the community more and had the opportunity to really interact with the locals.
137 people found this review helpful.
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Response from IPSL Global Engagement at Westminster University

Hi Jayne...thank you so much for your kind review. I'm sorry that you did not have as much interaction with the local people as you desired. On short term Faculty-Led programs (like yours) our structure needs to be altered to allow the faculty to incorporate their required material. This often cuts into activities that would normally be a part of all IPSL programs such as living with a homestay family to experience family life and participating in 15+ hours of volunteer service with our grass roots, community organizations. These elements as well as the opportunity to do advocacy research with our partners provide in-depth interaction with locals and immersion in their culture that is not possible on other type of programs. IPSL tries to incorporate as much of these experiences as we can in every type of program and I am pleased that you were able to take part in some of these things.

By IPSL Global Engagement at Westminster University on June 28, 2018
Default avatar
Emma
32
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Truly Immersive, One-of-a-kind Experience! Unlike any other Study Abroad

Feb 16, 2016

My experience with IPSL in Thessaloniki was truly life changing. I know that is a bit of a cliche to say that but I can honestly say that the programming components of this experience took my study abroad experience beyond what I was expecting and what I had experienced on other study abroad programs. As this was my second time studying abroad I was very particular about what kind of program I was looking for. I wanted something that gave me a look into Greek life. I definitely found that with IPSL through their course work, homestays and my service on the farm. The service I completed on the dairy farm in Thessaloniki was actually the most powerful aspect of my time there. Working along Greek students and dairy professionals I gained a whole new sense of animal production, Greek lifestyle, European politics and more. I especially cherish my time where we took breaks in the dairy farm labor to have frappes (foamed, sugary, iced coffee) and talk about their lives and farming in the context of Greece. I learned more then I've ever learned in a agriculture course in those few months I was there. Nothing beats hand on experience in helping you better understand a culture, people, and way of life. I could not recommend this program enough to other students wishing to do something a little different and more meaningful for their study abroad experience!

What would you improve about this program?
Since we were serving at a school where other Greek students go I would have liked to interact more with them in my course work and service. I actually did interact with them a lot in my service but not so much in my course work. I do think that the fact I was there over summer had something to do with that as many of the students were on holiday.
138 people found this review helpful.
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Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Emma Anderson

Program
Custom Service-Learning program in Thessaloniki Greece
Emma graduated from Long Island University Global via Portland State University. She first studied abroad in Peru and has since been a travel junkie and has studied abroad in Europe and Asia. She received a degree in global studies but now does animal activism in Portland.

Why did you pick this program?

I picked this program because I didn't want to have a traditional study abroad experience. I wanted to experience Greece like a local. So I was really drawn to IPSL's immersive focus. Additionally since I knew I wanted to pursue something related to animals I found their hands on service element at the farm to be exactly what I was looking for in allowing me to pursue my passions while abroad. And the experience has served me well, since adding this experience to my resume I've been able to enter my field of choice by standing out with my life experience. I don't think I would have had as much success otherwise.

What do you tell your friends who are thinking about going abroad?

Do it! You won't regret it. The thing about study abroad is that is so much more then just a semester or summer in another place. The lessons I've learned from my experience are still unfolding even a year later.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Take risks and be brave! You've already made the leap to live abroad, now embrace it. When you are abroad it's not the time to close yourself off to new experiences. Make new friends, get lost in a new city, dive into the service you are doing. The more you open up to new things the greater your experience will be.

What's your favorite story to tell about your time abroad?

I don't particularly have one moment that I cherish above the rest. There were so many good ones! But one of my favorite parts of my time there was getting to learn about Greece's agriculture policies from the farmers I served with. We would work all morning long on the dairy farm and around 2 pm near the hottest part of the day we would all take a break and sit in the shade and drink frappes, which are frothy, sweet instant coffee drinks. We would talk about their lives and how the policies of the government affected their work. I learned more in those afternoon coffee breaks about Greek culture and government than in any course that I took.

Why do service while abroad?

Service is a great way to get more out of your experience. But make sure you are really thinking about your intentions behind why you are doing service. Make sure to check your privilege at the door and throughly investigate whatever service provider you are working with. If you decide to pursue service abroad remember that you are there to meet the communities needs, wherever they are at and don't try to push your own ideas on a culture or situation you might not throughly understand.

About IPSL Global Engagement at Westminster University

IPSL engages students, educators, and grassroots organizations around the world in hands-on service to promote equitable relationships, social justice, sustainable change, and a commitment to our shared humanity. IPSL offers fully accredited graduate programs and credit bearing, custom service-learning and language learning programs in nations...

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